Why the Biden Administration Was Right Earlier This Week to Change Course in the Obamacare Challenge Pending Before the Court

VIKRAM DAVID AMAR

Illinois Law Dean Vikram David Amar comments on an unusual move by the U.S. Solicitor General’s office, sending a letter to the U.S. Supreme Court amending the position of the federal government in a case currently pending before the Court challenging the Affordable Care Act. Dean Amar explains why the arrival of a new administration should generally not trigger such position reversals, but he argues that the unusual circumstances—specifically the “exceptional implausibility” of the government’s prior filings—may justify the government’s action in this instance.

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Punches v. McCarrey Glenn Apartments LLC

Docket: S-17465

Opinion Date: February 12, 2021

Judge: Carney

Areas of Law: Civil Procedure, Landlord - Tenant, Personal Injury

In March 2014, Evvie Punches rented a one-bedroom apartment in the Conifer Groves complex in Anchorage; she renewed the lease in April 2015. The complex was owned by McCarrey Glen Apartments, LLC and managed by Weidner Property Management, LCC. Punches complained to the property manager since moving in regarding air quality in the apartment, and mold around the toilet. These issues continued despite a number of attempts by Weidner’s maintenance staff to fix them. Punches nonetheless renewed her lease in April 2015. When the property manager tried to arrange an inspection, Punches refused to allow maintenance staff into her apartment because she would not be home. Punches moved out of her apartment on March 2016 after delivering Weidner a “Notice of Defects in Essential Services.” Her notice listed issues with the front door, mold on the ceiling, mold on the carpet, damage from a previous fire, water damage, and “insufficient windows” that permitted “free flowing air throughout” the apartment. Punches moved to Minneapolis some time after she left her Alaska apartment, and sought care in Minnesota for various skin infections and reported that she had been exposed to mold for two years. She continued to pursue a connection between mold exposure and her recurring skin infections and other ailments. In 2017, she sued her former landlord and the property management company, claiming the companies negligently failed to eradicate mold in her apartment, thereby breaching the habitability provisions of the lease and causing her to suffer personal injury and property damage. After considerable delay involving discovery disputes, the superior court granted summary judgment dismissing Punches' personal injury claim. The parties went to trial on the tenant’s property damage and contract claims after the superior court precluded the tenant from introducing evidence relating to her personal injury claim. The jury rejected Punches' claims, and judgment was entered in favor of the companies. Punches appealed, contending that the court erred by ruling against her in discovery disputes, by denying her a further extension of time to oppose summary judgment, and by limiting the evidence she could present at trial. The Alaska Supreme Court concluded the court did not abuse its discretion when making the challenged rulings, and therefore affirmed the judgment against the tenant.

Jordan v. Jordan

Docket: S-17490

Opinion Date: February 12, 2021

Judge: Daniel E. Winfree

Areas of Law: Family Law

Following a divorce trial the superior court unevenly divided a marital estate. The smaller share recipient appealed several points related to findings about alleged marital waste, calculations concerning the parties’ future earning capacities, and consideration of federal disability benefits. The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the court’s marital waste ruling, but remanded for further proceedings addressing its calculation of the parties’ earning capacities and its consideration of federal disability benefits.

Walker E. v. Office of Children's Services

Docket: S-17778

Opinion Date: February 12, 2021

Judge: Joel H. Bolger

Areas of Law: Government & Administrative Law

Walker E. (father) and Astrid S. had five children together. Before moving to Alaska in 2014, the family had interactions with a protective services agency in Oklahoma following rumors of neglect and abuse. In Alaska, OCS became involved with the family in 2016 when their four-year-old tested positive at birth for oxycodone, cannabinoids, and an opiate; after Walker successfully participated in a random urinalysis (UA) program, OCS closed the case. In 2018, OCS took custody of the children following a hospital visit when most of them has MRSA sores and tested positive for methamphetamine. OCE referred father to many services, but he failed to engage with them. Father appealed the superior court’s termination of parental rights to his five Indian children. He argued: (1) the court violated the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) by erroneously finding that the Office of Children’s Services (OCS) made active efforts to reunify his family and that returning the children to his custody would likely seriously harm them; (2) OCS’s proffered expert witness was not qualified under ICWA; and (3) the court erred by determining termination of his rights to be in the children’s best interests without discussing their Native heritage or mother’s recent death, although these factors are mentioned nowhere in the relevant statute. Finding the superior court’s findings satisfied statutory requirements, the Alaska Supreme Court affirmed its termination of parental rights.